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Apertura 16" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Optical Tube

SKU: APT-16RCT
$7,995.95 $5,597.97

Apertura has discontinued the 16” f/8 Ritchey Chretien Truss Tube OTA, and we are out of stock.  Here is a link to the Apertura Ritchey Chretien OTAs we carry at High Point.  Hopefully, you can find a proper replacement in this selection.  If we can be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to call us at 1-800-266-9590 or send an email, and we will be happy to help you.  Thank you!

Apertura 16” f/8 Ritchey Chretien Truss Tube OTA

This Apertura 16" Ritchey Chretien OTA is a quality, large aperture RC telescope that won’t break the bank, they have opened up the possibility of that professional-style, dream telescope to a higher percentage of amateur astrophotographers.

Ritchey-Chretien telescopes do not use any lenses in their design. Instead, they consist of a concave hyperbolic primary and a convex hyperbolic secondary mirror. This design provides superb image correction across the entire field as well as very sharp images on-axis. Optical testing is done several times throughout the manufacturing process, and then before the optical set is mounted in an OTA, it is tested again and hand-corrected if necessary to bring it up the advertised wavefront.

The Apertura 16” RC has a 1/12th wave or better primary mirror. The mirror is made of quartz and then topped with a highly reflective (96%) enhanced protected aluminum coating that also protects the optics against sleeks and scratches. 96% Enhanced Protected Aluminum Coatings. The primary rides on an 18-point floatation system in a fixed mirror cell, eliminating the problem of image shift. The secondary mirror is also quartz with 96% enhanced protected aluminum coating and is mounted in a fully adjustable cell for ease of collimation.

The 16” f/8 RC OTA is a true Ritchey, so you do not have to worry about chromatic aberrations, coma, false color, or the need to add a field flattener/corrector to the mix!

More About the Carbon Fiber Truss Design

Carbon fiber has an amazing strength to weight ratio, and it cools down like a champ. The 16” f/8 optical tube includes Serrurier carbon truss tubes to keep flexure to a minimum and your optics collimated as the telescope moves across the sky. The inside of the optical tube includes a computer-optimized baffle system to eliminate stray light. Three small fans located at the back of the telescope help it reach ambient temperature in a flash.

Included is a 3” Crayford Focuser

The Apertura 16” RC comes with a 3” Crayford Focuser that rides on a stainless steel track, or monorail when you rack the focus in or out. This design feature keeps the focuser from twisting or bending when you have a camera or imaging set-up riding on it. A 10:1 dual-speed focusing system allows for both coarse and fine focus, and the focuser can be rotated 360º to help you achieve the proper image orientation.

Apertura 16” f/8 RC Telescope Specifications

  • Telescope Design: Ritchey-Chretien
  • Aperture: 16” or 406 mm
  • Focal Length: 3250 mm
  • Focal Ratio: f/8
  • Mirror Material: Low Expansion Quartz
  • Coatings: 96% Enhanced Protected Aluminum Coatings
  • Tube Material: Carbon Fiber with metal mirror cells
  • Focuser: 3” Dual Speed Crayford
  • Focus Travel: +/- 80 mm
  • Focuser Clear Aperture: 68 mm
  • Dovetail: Losmandy D - Top & Bottom
  • Diameter: 21-1/2 inches
  • Weight: 84 pounds
  • Length without Focuser or Collar: 44 inches

The Ritchey-Chretien was designed for photographic use, and while you can put an eyepiece in the diagonal and use it visually, you will get less than "stellar" results. It is for this reason that we do not recommend an RC telescope for visual use. If you have any questions or need help choosing a telescope that performs well when used either visually or photographically, please don't hesitate to contact us. Thanks!

This Product Comes with the Apertura Absolute Warranty!

  • Two-Year Warranty against product defects.
  • Three-Year Accident Replacement Program that begins after your initial 2 year warranty expires.
  • Your Apertura Absolute Warranty is transferable.

Download a copy of the Apertura Absolute Warranty for more information on this program, how to make a claim, and why it is important to keep your original receipt and the product's original boxes & packaging!